Wanfo Lake Scenic Area is located in Wanfohu Town, Shucheng County, Lu'an City, Anhui Province. It is a national 5A-level tourist attraction, national water conservancy scenic area, national geopark, provincial scenic spot, and provincial tourist resort. The scenic area integrates mountains, waters, springs, rocks, cliffs, pools, caves, forests, flowers, water conservancy facilities, and cultural relics, known as the "Beidaihe of Anhui, Backyard Garden of Hefei". The scenic area covers about 300 square kilometers, with a core area of 15 square kilometers, a lake area of about 50 square kilometers, a lake shore perimeter of about 205 kilometers, a reservoir capacity of about 903 million cubic meters, and the water quality in the reservoir is national surface water class Ⅱ. The kilometer-long dam in the scenic area, with rammed clay in the middle and stone revetment on the outside, is majestic and was praised by Mr. Lancy, the former Chairman of the United Nations Dam Committee, as "a very remarkable project".
History and Culture
Wanfo Lake was originally named Longhekou Reservoir, named after the main dam of the reservoir located at Longhekou between Kaolao Mountain and Niutouzhai. It is a comprehensive utilization project of the Pi-Shi-Hang water conservancy communication, started construction in November 1958, one of the "Five Great Reservoirs" in Western Anhui, stopped construction in April 1961, resumed construction in 1966, was basically completed in 1970, and was reinforced for danger removal in 2002. The highest peak in the scenic area is "Lao Fo Ding" (Old Buddha Peak) with an altitude of 1,539 meters. Under the Danfeng (Red Peak), there is a "Self-Generated Stone Stele" inscribed with the four characters "Wanfo Mingshan" (Thousand-Buddha Famous Mountain) in the Guangxu period, and later renamed Wanfo Lake. In 1994, the People's Government of Shucheng County promoted it as "Wanfo Lake" and signed a development agreement. After years of development, remarkable achievements have been made in tourism infrastructure, reception conditions, market development, and industry management. The scenic area has also hosted many cultural activities, such as the first Dragon Boat Race in Shucheng County in 1996, the Asian Triathlon Series and National Championships in 1998, and the first China "Wanfo Lake Tourism Culture Festival and International Dragon Boat Invitational Tournament" in 2002.
Main Attractions
Longhe Tower
Longhe Tower is the landmark building of the scenic area, in the architectural style of the Ming Dynasty, covering an area of 3,800 square meters, 56 meters high, with 7 floors in total. Each floor is painted with pictures depicting Guanyin's cultivation. The first to fourth floors display calligraphy and painting works, the fifth to sixth floors display cultural relics, and the seventh floor is the sightseeing floor. Climbing this tower, you can have a bird's-eye view of Longshu Land, overlook the main peak of Wanfo Mountain to the south, and the Longtou Pagoda echoing in the distance to the north.
Zhou Yu Island
Zhou Yu Island is located on the south bank of Wanfo Lake, composed of many small islands, including Jinyuan, Ruizhi Garden, Zhiyin Garden, Liansandun, etc., focusing on Zhou Yu culture. The island features the water stronghold of the Eastern Wu, with the growth story of Zhou Yu as the main line. Yujin Garden has a divine chestnut tree, telling the story of "White Egret Raising Zhou Yu"; Ruizhi Garden has the legend of "Five Elders Presenting Treasures", where you can experience Zhou Yu's Study; Zhiyin Garden has "Qin Se Meeting a Soulmate" and the classic opera "Zhou Yu and Xiao Qiao".
Swallow Island
The island has bamboo art buildings, peacock gliding performances, Li Gonglin Calligraphy and Painting Hall, etc., making it a popular destination for ancient-style Hanfu enthusiasts.
Dragon King Island
Climbing to the top, you can overlook 66 islands scattered like stars. Beside the "Dragon-shaped Fountain" on the top, you can take panoramic photos of the lake view. The light is beautiful at 4 pm. If you are short of energy, you can choose the cable car (one-way 30 yuan).
Food
Casserole Fish Head
A special food of Wanfo Lake, made by slow-cooking the fish head from Wanfo Lake with various ingredients, the soup is fresh and delicious, rich in nutrition.
Steamed Lake Fish
Using fresh fish from Wanfo Lake as raw materials, steamed to retain the original flavor of the fish, with tender meat and delicious taste.
Shucheng Xiaolan Flower Tea
A special product of Shucheng, the tea leaves are shaped like orchids with connected buds and leaves. After brewing, it has a clear and long-lasting aroma, fresh and mellow taste with a sweet aftertaste. It complements well with dishes like Casserole Fish Head and Steamed Lake Fish.
Tickets
The ticket price (including boat ticket) is 125 yuan per person.
You can search for the official WeChat public account "万佛湖5A景区" to get the latest updates. As of June 9, 2025, the official WeChat public account does not provide online ticket booking services.
Opening Hours
Open from 08:00 to 17:30 throughout the year, with admission stopped at 17:00. The latest admission time for boating is 15:30.
Itinerary
In the morning, you can take an island-hopping lake tour. After purchasing the combined ticket of "admission ticket + boat ticket", go to Swallow Island by boat first to enjoy the bamboo art buildings and watch peacock gliding performances; have lunch at the Swallow Island Restaurant or the food street at the return pier; go to Zhou Yu Island at 13:30 in the afternoon to explore the hometown of the Three Kingdoms general, and visit the settings like Cao Cao's Army Borrowing Arrows and Zhou Yu's Study; go to Dragon King Island at 15:00, where you can climb to the top to overlook the lake view, and choose the cable car if you are tired; before returning at 17:00, go to Longji Bridge to enjoy the beautiful sunset.
Transportation
- Self-driving: Navigate to Wanfo Lake Tourist Center. The scenic area has a parking lot. Reference prices: free within 30 minutes, 15 yuan/day for small passenger cars (9 seats and below), 20 yuan/day for large passenger cars (more than 9 seats), and new energy vehicles are free for 2 hours (including charging time) on the same day.
- Bus: You can first go to Shucheng County and then transfer to the bus to Wanfo Lake. For specific bus routes, please consult the local bus department.
Must-visit Attractions
- Longhe Tower: The landmark building of the scenic area, in the Ming Dynasty style, 56 meters high. Climbing the tower offers beautiful views of Longshu Land and the main peak of Wanfo Mountain.
- Zhou Yu Island: Themed around Zhou Yu culture, featuring the water stronghold of the Eastern Wu, allowing you to learn about Zhou Yu's growth story and experience Zhou Yu's Study.
- Swallow Island: With bamboo art buildings, peacock gliding performances, and Li Gonglin Calligraphy and Painting Hall, it is suitable for ancient-style Hanfu enthusiasts to take photos.
- Dragon King Island: Overlooking 66 islands scattered like stars from the top. Taking photos beside the "Dragon-shaped Fountain" on the top gives excellent results, especially with good light at 4 pm.
Tour Tips
- Pay attention to the weather in advance and prepare appropriate clothing, sun protection, and mosquito repellent.
- There are many visitors during holidays, so it is recommended to book tickets and accommodation in advance.
- If traveling with the elderly or children, consider taking a battery car to save energy.
- You can bring props like transparent umbrellas and fish food to increase the fun of play and photo effects.
Notes
- Abide by the regulations of the scenic area and do not arbitrarily damage the environment or public facilities.
- Take good care of personal belongings during the tour, especially in crowded areas.
- Obey the arrangements of the staff when taking a boat and pay attention to safety.
- Smoke only in designated areas and do not litter.